After Death
by bridgetcoolio199
Summary: In the last battle between the Edison Group and the gang, Chloe ends up being shot. But WAS it really the last battle? Can her ghost talk to them  , especially Derek who's completley overcome with grief? Will she be able to save them?
1. Chapter 1

After-Death

**Chapter One**

_Chloe_

I watched as my friends battled my enemies. I wished that everyone would be okay, especially Aunt Lauren. She was captured by the Edison Group. Apparently, it was much bigger then we once assumed.

Little rotting animals flounced around in the building, attacking people my ally's couldn't get. There was a rotting cougar attacking two big security men. There was a dead wolf going after five workers at a time. A decaying German Sheppard was all over three scientists, probably. A lynx, that looked freshly deceased, was chewing on some security guy. A little, white bunny was chasing away the biggest guy I'd ever seen. That one probably would have made me laugh if I was completely unaware of everything around me.

Torus had a ball of energy in her hands, and was throwing them out like pebbles. Simon was using a knock-back spell on multiple people. Kit was a few feet away from Simon, watching his back and using some spells on whoever dares approach. Derek—my Derek—was fighting with Mr. St. Cloud. I suspected it was a fight to death, and I was so scared for him. For Aunt Lauren, who was in the very last Edison Group building we checked, locked up somewhere. For Tori, who always thought she could handle about anything. For Simon, who was so sweet and brave. For Kit, who would die protecting his sons. And for me, who couldn't do anything but command dead animals to fight.

_At least you can do _something; my inner voice whispered, finally the nice guy,

I looked around the area, trying to see if there was any place Aunt Lauren could be hidden. I let my eyes wander over every wall. I swore I could see something from behind the mess of white fur on the rabbit, and I squinted. I could just make out a door handle. I ran.

I ducked under an axe. I dove between Simon's and Kit's legs, and Simon swore. "Jeez, Clo, I almost blasted you." I ignored him. I tiptoed around Tori, and was careful to avoid Derek's eyes. If he saw me, he'd yell at me to get out of the line of fire. I commanded the bunny to move out of my way and keep fighting the guy. When he pulled out a knife from his belt and pointed it at me, an energy ball hit him in the back of the head. He fell to the ground.

Tori was standing a few yards back. _I got your back, _she mouthed at me, smiling.

_Thank you, _I mouthed back. Tori and I had become friends, close friends. After the night when her mom died a year-and-a-half ago, she's still been herself, but not to me. Except when she pointed out how "too nice" I was. We were close.

I put my hand on the cold, silver doorknob. I twisted. I guess someone forgot to lock it. It popped open, revealing a long, boring hallway. There were only two rooms in the hallway. I dashed into the first one. There was nothing. No furniture, no colors.

I ran into the next room, and found Aunt Lauren sitting on a white chair, staring at nothing. "Aunt Lauren!" I called, running to her side. She turned to face me, a smile spreading across her face. "Chloe? You're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I smiled and flung myself into her arms. "Are _you _okay?"

"Yes, dear," she whispered, and we both stood up, still twined together.

It had been a month since I'd seen her. It seemed like so much longer. I let o of her, and draped my arm over her shoulder. "Can you walk?" I asked.

"Yes. They didn't do anything to me. They just put me in here. I think they were planning on you guys coming to save me so they could take you out. I heard about how many Edison Groupers you guys overcame."

"Yeah," I pulled my arm back, and she walked perfectly fine. "We have to move. The others are still out there, fighting."

I grabbed her hand and we raced down the hallway. I burst out the door, and couldn't stop myself from looking over at Derek's fight.

I looked just in time to see Mr. St. Cloud shove a needle in Derek's stomach. My stomach twisted. Derek picked him up and slammed him into the wall. Mr. St. Cloud lay in a jumble at Derek's feet.

"Out!" I shouted. "I've got her!"

_Wow, Chloe, do you think that's something you should be announcing?_

I didn't care. Aunt Lauren was safe, and the rest of us needed to be. Kit and Simon walked through the exit back to back, still firing some spells. Tori stayed close to them, randomly shooting energy balls. I whispered for Aunt Lauren to follow them, and she did.

"Stop!" I commanded the animals, which were attacking motionless figures. They stopped. I closed my eyes and pictured tugging their souls from their bodies and releasing them. When I opened my lids, the animal's bodies were all laying on the floor, eyes wide and vacant. Every person in the room was lying down. I didn't see Derek, so I ran outside where I assumed he was waiting for me.

I burst through the door, and ran over to the van that was sitting patiently at the curb. I pulled the door open, and Simon said, "Where's D?"

"W-what? I thought he was h-here?" I stuttered, getting nervous. I'm so stupid! He was stabbed with a needle filled with suspicious liquid. I also should've known that Derek would never leave me alone in a building filled with enemies. In fact, he probably wouldn't leave me alone in a building unless he knew without a doubt that it was safe.

I spun around and started running towards the building. My breath came out in pants, and y heart was hammering in my ears. My newly-dyed blonde hair fluttered in the wind, which was nipping at my cheeks.

I threw the door open and ran to the place I saw Derek and Mr. St. Cloud working. I saw Derek laying in a heap, head pressed to the cold, tile floor. "Derek!" I breathed.

His lips twitched.

I ran over to him, crouching down. I shook his shoulders, and said, "Derek, it'll be okay."

"Chloe?" his voice was just a grumble that I could barely decode.

"I'm here." I told him. I slung his arm over my shoulder and tried to stand up. Since Derek was a werewolf, whatever Mr. St. Cloud used didn't have all the effects it was supposed to. Derek was able to drag his feet with much effort. "What did he put in you?" I asked, nervous.

"Just anesthesia. I can smell it." He slurred. "Don't worry; it takes a lot to knock me out."

"I know." I kissed his cheek.

He smiled despite himself. "Stop," he joked, "You're gonna make me blush." His words were a little less slurred, but his footing didn't change.

"Since when do you blush?"

"Touché,"

I laughed. "We're almost there, okay? We'll get you in the van and be on our merry way."

"Mm-hmm," he smiled again, his eyelids drooping. "Can I sit next to you?"

"Of course. Well, if there's room."

"We'll make room," he tried to lean in to kiss me, but lost his balance and fell. I helped him up, and kissed him quickly, but warmth still spread through me.

We stood up as Simon walked through the door. "I'll take Derek," he offered.

"Okay," dropped my shoulder and Derek wobbled. Simon caught him.

"I wanna stay with Chloe," Derek slurred again.

"I can't support your weight. And I'm right here, so it's not like I'm leaving." I stated.

"Yeah, okay," Derek sighed. "Love you."

I blushed as Simon gave me a weird look. Derek has said it before, but only when we were alone. "Love you, too."

They started walking ahead of me, Derek feet a little less dragged.

"Derek wanted to sit next to me," I told Simon. "So I was wondering if we had room in the—"

My words were cut short by the sound of a gunshot bouncing off the walls, and an excruciating pain in my gut. I clutched my stomach then fell to the ground, hands and shirt soaked in my own blood.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

_Derek_

That woke me up quick.

At the piercing sound of a gunshot, I pushed Simon off of me and whirled around just in time to see Chloe give me one last look, and fall to the ground.

I'm not exactly sure what sound I made. I felt pure dread course through me, and my heart being ripped from my chest. I knew I'd gone pale. I ran forward.

I was really hoping that when I touched her cold, pale skin, she would look up at me and tell me she was alright. She'd be hurt, but she'd be fine after some stitches. She'd be fine.

Except she wasn't fine. I turned body around so I could see her face. Her mouth was open the tinniest bit, and her eyes were wide, vacant.

"Chloe . . ." Simon choked out from behind me.

I barely heard him. My dread slowly morphed into something else. Rage pumped through my body, and my head snapped up to look at the murderer.

Mr. St. Cloud stood there, gun still smoking at his side. When I rushed forward, Simon knelt down beside Chloe.

I grabbed Mr. St. Cloud's boy wrist and flipped him on his back, turning his arm. "You killed her!" I shouted, tears burning in my eyes. "You . . . Killed her!"

I lifted him over my head and threw him against the wall. I walked over and stepped on his neck as hard as I could, making for absolute certain he was dead. He deserved so much more. If there was a person who didn't deserve to die, it was Chloe. Not just because I loved her more than anything. How many times has she helped me? How many times has she helped people who didn't deserve it? How many times has she done something so nice, and didn't have a clue it was a good thing to do, because she thought it was the only thing?

I looked back over at her. Her head was in Simon's lap, and silent tears rolled down his face.

I walked over to her and fell to my knees. I let Simon hold her, because I mostly didn't want to look into her eyes again. I wanted to remember them being lit up when she was laughing, and crinkling in the corners when she smiled.

Chloe always said that right after someone was killed, she could see their ghost. Maybe her ghost was here, maybe she could hear what I was saying. "I'm so sorry," I whispered. Simon looked at me, like he thought maybe I was talking to him. I didn't even look at him. "I'm sorry. You came back to get me. It was me that . . ." I couldn't find the right word for what he was. "It was me he fought, me he was trying to shoot." The tears burned again. "it should've been me."

I took Chloe away from Simon then, holding her close to me, rocking her in my arms. I didn't want to think of it as "her body". It was Chloe.

"Chloe, if you can hear me, I love you and I'm sorry. So sorry." Hot tears rolled down my face. My insides were sliced so shreds, my body shaking. "It should've been me."

"Do you think she can hear us?" Simon asked me, his voice cracking.

I nodded.

He took a deep breath. "Chloe, I never told you things that I wish I had said, I never told you how I f—"

The door banged open. "What's all the hubbub?"

Tori flounced in. I didn't care. I was overwhelmed. How could she be dead? We were going to get married one day. We were going to be together always, no matter what.

_I guess always is a lot shorter than I thought._ I growled at my inner voice.

Tori looked at Chloe, who was still in my arms, and her eyes widened. Her breathing came faster. "She's just knocked out, right? That Cloud guy hit her over the head, and she's just knocked out. Get her into the car. She should be in a bed when she wakes up. She's been through a lot."

"She's not going to wake up," I said, my voice absolutely emotionless.

"Yes she will! Stop lying, Derek!" In a movement, Tori was right beside me, shoving me away from Chloe. Tori pulled Chloe close to her, looking into her vacant eyes. "No," Tori gasped, and her head snapped up. Her eyes were filled with tears. "Who did this?"

Simon answered. "The Cloud guy,"

"I'll kill him—"

"Derek already beat you to it."

I wasn't listening. Chloe's last moment haunted me, replaying again and again. Her face twisting in pain, but at the same time looking at me as if to say _Derek, what's happening? _She wanted me to have an answer, but I didn't. I'd let her walk behind me. I'd let her come along. I'd let her try to save me. I'd let her get shot.

"There's has to be a way," Tori said to Simon, almost pleadingly. I realized I'd missed their whole conversation.

"No, I don't think there is." Simon's voice was faint. I could tell that his heart wasn't in it. He was thinking about Chloe. "I could ask dad, but I'm pretty sure only necromancer's raise the dead."

Tori shook her head. "Some spell . . ."

My ears perked up without my consent. "You said _you_ didn't think there was one, but we could ask dad. Maybe he'd have the answer. Why are we just sitting here? Chloe's counting on us!"I stood up, pulled Chloe's lifeless body into my arms and dashed out the door.

Lauren came running out, with dad right next to her. "Chloe!" Lauren called, running forward. "What happened?"

"She was . . ." My throat closed as tears burned in my eyes again. I couldn't get the words out.

"She was shot," Tori said, grief covering her tone. "I walked in and she was . . ."

"No," Lauren breathed, tears springing down her face. "In the arm? We need to get it looked out."

"Not in the arm," Simon whispered, appearing beside me.

"She's dead," Tori clarified.

The tears on Lauren's face flew faster and she began to cry. She flopped down on the side-walk, silently sobbing.

I looked at my dad, whose face was covered with sadness, eyes glittering. "We can bring her back, right?" I asked, my voice catching. "There has to be some kind of spell . . ."

"There's a few, but we can't do them. Millions of things could go wrong. You can't mess with nature using magic, son."

I put Chloe beside Lauren on the grass. I heard Tori mumbling something into a phone. "We need to do it,"

"We can't—"

"Now!" I growled. I've never done that to my dad before. But, as far as I was concerned, he was being selfish about the girl I love's life.

"We can't mess with nature." Dad said firmly.

"He's right," Simon's voice came from behind me.

I turned around so fast, glare blazing, that Simon flinched. "He's right? So I guess knocking people back with your words, and throwing energy balls is _natural? _I thought you of all people would be on my side in this."

Simon flinched again. "I'm sad, too." His voice was soft. "I know how you feel. I want her back. But things could go wrong. Most likely, whatever we bring back, wouldn't be Chloe anymore. Would that be _any _better?"

It wouldn't be. To have her so close, but I could never touch her. To see my Chloe doing things she would never, ever do . . . That's the only thing that could possibly be equally painful as this.

My dad put his hand on my shoulder, but I shook it off.

Tori appeared between me and Simon, waving her cell phone around. "I just called the ambulance, we should get out of here."

"Why'd you do that?" Simon asked.

"It's a lot easier to plan a funereal if you don't show up with some random body of a teenage runaway who nobody knew was dead. The other two options would be leaving her here, or burying her ourselves. Does either of you think that she deserves that?"

I didn't. I could tell Simon didn't either.

The dread feeling was back. It spread through my spin, across my stomach, and finally around my heart. It stayed there, crushing my heart with its weight. "So we should get away from the people in there . . ." she pointed at the building.

I honestly didn't care what the police thought. They could take me to jail. They could kill me. Nothing could be as bad as losing Chloe.

But I grumbled, "Fine," picked her up, and started walking in a random direction.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three**

_Simon_

Derek led us to an alley in the city nearby, and Lauren and Dad drove the van a few blocks away. Tori called the police and told them where we were. We got our story straight with each other. Chloe was staying with her aunt, as her father knew, and we were family friends, hanging out together. Tori, Derek, and I were my dad's kids. We were wandering around looking for a place to get food, and took this alley as a shortcut. Someone with a gun and a black ski mask jumped out of nowhere, and demanded money. Chloe reached inside her pocket for her wallet, and they shot her, and then ran away. We shoved Derek's wallet in her pocket.

Nobody said a word after that until the police arrived with the paramedics. Instead of hooking up those electric zap things they always use in movies, they just put her on a stretcher and covered her body in a white sheet. The police took our statements, their faces tinted with red and blue from the lights.

I couldn't feel anything, not a single thing. Every sound echoes in my head, every word takes minutes to understand. Each beat of my heart feels like a throb. I'm completely dead inside.

Before the police drove off, they told us to come by the morgue in the morning. Lauren couldn't collect herself, so my dad was the main one talking to them. After everything was settled, we drove to a hotel in silence, except Derek. He said he was going for a walk. We all understood.

When we got to the hotel, we all took separate rooms. Nobody could look anyone in the eyes.

I kept expecting Chloe to walk through the doors, give me a little smile, and ask me about our comic. I expected to see her in bed, fast asleep. Every time I didn't see her, it was like a fresh slap in the face.

I lay down on a bed and pulled the covers over my face, leaving all my clothes and my shoes on. How could Chloe be dead? It felt like a nightmare, and I kept hoping that I would wake up any second. But I knew I wouldn't.

I was in love with Chloe Saunders. I'd been denying it for the longest time, but I knew it was true. I used to fantasize about kissing her, about pulling her in my arms and telling her how I felt. But I never had the guts to do it, because too many things could happen. I didn't want to hurt Derek. Chloe didn't feel the same, because she was in love with my brother. Maybe if she knew how I felt, then she'd never want to talk to me again. I thought the only thing worse than seeing her happy with Derek, would be not seeing her at all.

I was wrong.

The next week was like a blur. We got Chloe a coffin, and we were going to have her funereal in Buffalo. Nobody talked much, especially Derek. We arrived in Buffalo at ten thirty, and were staying at another hotel. Lauren was staying with Chloe's dad.

This time, Derek and I shared a room. Dad and Tori got their own. We were slowly trying to ease back to as normal as were ever were, but all at once would be a disaster.

It was the night before her funereal, and I couldn't sleep to save my life. Neither could Derek, who was sitting up, staring at a picture of Chloe he took on his phone. I remember that day. It was snowing, so we all ran out. Chloe's nose, ears, and cheeks were rosy. She had a blue scarf wrapped around her neck, and was laughing, her hair blowing in the breeze. She was beautiful.

My heart ripped.

"Where do you think she is?" I asked, my voice very quiet.

Derek jumped, like he's been caught doing something naughty. "Don't know." He mumbled. "I'd like to think she's around here somewhere, watching us."

The uncertainty is his voice was evident. I walked over to him and sat down beside him. The picture of Chloe in the snow changed to a picture of her asleep in the van. I remember when she saw the picture, she frowned and told Derek to delete it, and he said he had. I guess that was a lie.

"She's finally safe." I whispered, trying to look for the bright side. That brought me down even more.

"I guess," he grumbled, and I could see his eyes were shinier than usual, filled with unshed tears.

I couldn't stand trying to comfort anyone for another second, because it only made me feel crappier, and was obviously not helping Derek at all. I walked over to my bed and lay down, hoping to fall asleep. I ended up staring at Derek's phone all night, while pictures of Chloe flashed

It was the day of the funereal. I got up slowly; put on the suit I'd rented, and walked out the door. Derek followed me, wearing a black T-shirt and basketball shorts. He's told me that Chloe had complimented it once.

Dad gave us all donuts as we drove to the cemetery. Derek wouldn't look at anyone. Tori was crying, and silently slid her hand in mine for support. Lauren was meeting us at the funereal, and dad was uncharacteristically silent.

This day was going to suck.

_Chloe_

Being unseen and unheard is terrible.

You see all the people you love crying over you and mourning your death, and you just want to shout _"Hel_-lo! _I'm right here!"_

I watched Simon stay silent. I saw my dad bawl. I watched Aunt Lauren shut down. I watched Tori's tears fall faster then I would've thought possible. I witnessed Derek's mental break-down. I love him so much, and he can't even see me. More than anything I wanted to tell him to stop being sad, I wanted to tell all of them.

No wonder ghosts seek out necromancers.

It's the weirdest thing, watching your own funereal. I watched the preacher give a speech about me, even though I'd never met him in my life. I watched people cry, and step up to say some words. A bunch of my old friends were there, crying like we hadn't ever stopped talking. The faces on the real grievers—Aunt Lauren, dad, Simon, Derek, Tori, and kit—gave me such heart ache that I wanted to leave right then and there.

But I didn't go. I walked over to Derek and looked at him. Tears would have been in my eyes if I was able to cry. "I'm here, Derek," I whispered. "I love you."

Derek's ears perked up, and he rolled his shoulders. "Chloe?"

"Yes! Yes, Derek, it's me!"

But he couldn't hear me. He sat back in his chair, shoulders slumping. Then they put me in the ground, and everyone started to leave, except Derek and Simon. Simon stayed for a while, but finally got up and left. Derek just stood there, looking at the coffin in the ground.

I wish he knew I was here. I would give anything just to be able to leave a note, but the pen would just pass right through me. There's only one type of ghost who could right that note . . .

Liz!

I hadn't thought about her much, because I was a little traumatized about dying, and I was so preoccupied with worrying about the living. I wondered if I could summon in death.

I tried anyway. I closed my eyes tight (which had no effect, because my eye-lids were transparent), and pictured Liz. I pictured her frame, pictured calling to her, and pictured pulling her through.

"You called?"

My eyes flew open, and I was looking at Elizabeth. "Liz!" I cried, smiling.

"Whoa, what _happened _to you?"

"I died," I admitted.

"Oh, so is this just a social visit, or did you want something?" She was smiling, too.

"I _did_ miss you . . ."

"But?"

"I need your help," I said.

She grinned. "Tell me what I'm supposed to do."


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

_Chloe_

I told Liz about the note I wanted her to leave, and we followed Derek out of the grave yard. There was a big, dark forest just across the street, and I thought, _did they have to bury me in the creepiest place possible? _I saw a movement in the bushes, but I figured it was a squirrel or hare. Then two big, human shadows crept across the street. I saw two people. Both of them had long, black robes covering their bodies. They were walking side by side, in a rush to get to or away from something, or to something. They way they walked seemed vaguely familiar, and sent chills down my spine.

"So," Liz said, interrupting my thoughts. "Should I leave the note now or later?"

"Later," I said, turning to her. "Come with me,"

I walked across the street just in time to see one of their hoods fall off. I knew that person. I _loathed _that person with a passion. Her hair was brown and in a tight bun, her age probably somewhere in her 60's. The other one's hood stayed on, but I didn't have to see his face to now who it was.

"For goodness's sake, Margaret, keep your hood on." The hooded one hissed. "That girls funereal was right across the street. Do you want a werewolf, a witch, and two sorcerers on our behinds? I sure as heck do not."

"Well, Russell, maybe you could talk louder and let the whole neighborhood know we're here." Margaret hissed back. "This cloak is too big, I told you. I'm sorry my head's not as big as yours."

"Hey, bigger head, bigger brain." He paused. "Why do we have cloaks anyways? It's kind of creepy."

She sighed, as if explaining something to a child for the hundredth time. "They cover our whole bodies, we can't risk being seen."

"Then you should stop taking off your hood."

"I was _not _taking it off!"

They continued to bicker, but I wasn't listening. Why were they in Buffalo? If they were trying to stay away from my friends, then why were they in the same general area as them?

I stayed in Margaret's blind side, making sure she couldn't see me. When they proceeded into the forest, I looked at Liz. "How do I make myself invisible to necromancers?"

"What? We can do that? I thought you saw all ghosts."

"I did. I do. But there would always be talking to me, but since they were invisible, I couldn't see them. I could sense them, and since they were talking I could tell they were there and I forced them to say hello. But, if I don't make a sound, I can pull it off, right?"

"I don't know. Sure?"

I smiled at her. "So how do I do it?"

"I didn't even know I _could _do that until five seconds ago. Sorry, but I'm on the same page as you." There was a pause. "Are you thinking about following them?"

"Nope," Liz exhaled in relief. "I'm thinking about how to be come invisible so I can follow them. I'm gonna follow them."

"I don't think it's a good—"

"C'mon, we could still catch up!" I whisper-yelled and dashed into the forest. I need to be quieter.

I slowed down and tiptoed through the mud. Then I remembered that my footsteps don't make noise anymore, so I started running again. It didn't wind me like it used to, and I was still wondering if I could just transport places, but I'd save that for later.

When I finally caught up with Russell and Margaret, they were going down something. Probably some stairs that I just couldn't see, because there was a tree in the way. When their heads were fully out of sight, and took a tentative step forward.

"Where're we going?" Liz whispered in my ear. I jumped.

"I-I don't know," Even in death I had a stutter. "Where ever they're going."

I slowly inched toward it, frightened of what I might find. I saw a big, wooden board lying on the ground. "Liz, can you . . . ?" I pointed at the board.

"Sure thing." She walked over and lifted the board with ease. I was completely sure this is where they went.

There were red clay stairs leading down to a room. Before I walked down the steps, I pictured myself being invisible. I pictured my frame, and made it slowly begin to fade. I really hoped it worked.

I told Liz tot do the same thing, and we walked down the steps. There was a small light of some kind of light coming from the room that would make it easier to see.

I hoped Margaret wouldn't see us.

I knew she couldn't hurt me. Whatever she threw, shot, flung, it would pass right through me.

_She could banish you into another dimension. _Oh, yeah, that.

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, I had to hold back my gasp of horror.

The room wasn't really a room at all. It was a big hole, with walls uneven. It was shaped round, with a big rock, flat, white at the front. At least I thought it was the front, if we were saying the part by the stairs was the back. The rounded shell was red, only a shade lighter then the stairs. Torches lined the entire barrier, giving the area a faint glow.

Worst of all, it was filled with people.

Some of the faces I recognized, some I didn't. I knew one thing for sure: they were all from the Edison Group. There were people dressed in the robes, but mostly it was people dressed as if they were going for a stroll in the park.

It was the perfect place for a sacrificial ceremony. If this was a movie, about three of the guys in robes would come out of some long corridor, carrying some poor, innocent blonde girl with mascara streaks on her face. They would put her on the big rock, and she would cry, protesting under the duct-tape. Then the boys who carried her would walk away, and out would come the leader, who was _also _wearing a robe, with a big dagger, engraved with the name of their cult.

But what happened instead, was Margaret took off her hood and stepped onto the rock. She clapped her hands three times, and the sound echoed off the sides of the fortress. Everyone stopped talking and looked at her.

She put on the fakest, sweetest smile I'd ever seen. "Hello," She began, "Thank you all for coming today."

There were grumbles from the crowd.

She continued. "You know why we want you here. All of us lost someone, or something, in the battles against those _children." _She snarled the word. I could just make out Russell, who was nodding in the shadows. Standing next to him was another cloak-wearing person. "They are obviously very powerful. As long as they are around, they're a threat to all of us. That's why they need to be . . . terminated." She smiled again. "They're a threat to us and everything we stand for."

My stomach plummeted.

A guy in a green shirt yelled, "If they took out the whole Edison Group, what chance would any of _us _have against them?"

Her smile faltered for a second, and then was firmly back in place. "Excellent question, Mr. Davidoff." I did a double take. Dr. Davidoff was dead, wasn't he? Yes, because I'd made Tori's mom kill him. He was dead. But this wasn't Dr. Davidoff, it was someone else. His skin tone was darker, and he was much younger, boyish almost, though I would guess that he was at least nineteen.

Margaret didn't pause. "Your uncle and the rest of the Edison Group had no idea what those kids were capable of, what they created, but we do. The Edison Group was the attacked, not the attackers. They had no time to prepare themselves physically or mentally. The children's little group always had the upper hand. The Edison Group never knew exactly when they would get paid a visit. Well, we can be the attacking, not the attacked. _We _can have the upper-hand. We'll need much preparation, of course, but that won't be an issue. They think they've destroyed us all, that the danger is over, so they won't be expecting us anytime." I was sure that if I still had a pulse, my heart would be racing.

Margaret stepped down, and the crowd erupted in conversation. She gestured for someone else to take her place, and said, "Mrs. St. Cloud?"

But when the next person stepped forward, the room was silent.

Her hair was perfectly straight, drifting down to her waist. It was the color of moonlight; a soft white, but obviously not with age or dyed. Her skin was tanned, but not at all wrinkled. Her lips had a natural pout, and her round eyes were the same green as Derek's. Her voice was soft, beautiful sounding. Mr. St. Cloud's wife. "They will be grieving the loss of that witch of a girl, so they won't be as keen in a fight. We need to go when the grief is still fresh, but we have to train. I have a feeling some of them—especially my son—will be grieving for quite some time. But eventually we'll have to strike."

"When will we fight!" Someone yelled from somewhere in the cluster.

The girl speaking frowned. "When I feel you're ready." She shot a glare at everyone in the room. "Any questions?"

Silence.

She smiled. "Good,"

_Son. _She said _son. _There's only one person in the group who was young enough to be her son that would miss me more then anyone else. One person who never knew his biological parents, because his earliest memories were of him in a lab. One person who's name was Derek.

They began to talk about tactics, fighting skills; our weaknesses, how they'd attack, and I ran outside. I didn't want to hear anymore.

Liz was right behind me. We ran until we reached the street again.

When we did, she said, "We have to warn Derek!"

"No,"

"What?"

"He can't know about his mom or that Mr. St. Cloud was most-likely his father. He's already going through enough."

"Then we'll just leave out that part." She reasoned.

"He can't know I'm . . . here,"

"Why not? You were going to tell him anyway."

I shook my head. "That was before. If he knows I'm still around, but also dead, he'll still be grieving. Knowing that I'm there, but he can't touch me or hear me, might even be worse then now. HE can't be feeling all that while he's fighting."

Liz nodded. "Alright. Let's go to Simon,"

I nodded. "Simon,"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

_Simon_

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Derek hadn't come to the hotel yet. He must be going for a walk or something.

Whenever anyone got up to speak, or started to cry, I kept thinking that it wasn't real. It couldn't be. I know I've been thinking this a lot lately, but I just wish with all my might that it wasn't real.

I rolled over in my bed, and turned off the lamp sitting on the dresser. Maybe I could sleep. Then a drawer opened. Slowly, at first, like someone was being cautious, then the next drawer flung open quickly.

A receipt for something, and a ballpoint pen were floating in mid air. There was a ghost in here. I wanted to believe it was her, but she couldn't move things.

The receipt moved to in front of my face, and I had to turn on the light to make out the words.

_Can I use your sketch book to write?_

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice quavering.

_It's Liz and—_

My heart beat in my ears as the letters of the next name crawled across the paper. A lump jammed in my throat.

_Chloe_

"Is it really you?"

After a few seconds, my suit-case (something dad had gotten me a little while earlier) began to float, and then open. Once my sketch book was floating, my suit-case dropped.

It was flipped to a random page, with the word _YES _scrawled across.

I froze. "How do I know it really is?" Chloe had met mean ghosts before, the kind that played tricks. What would stop them from doing it now? I stood up.

_Stop asking questions. I have important information that you NEED to know._

"Tell, er, write something only Chloe would know,"

_Like what?_

"What was the final chapter of our comic about?" I asked, really liking my question.

_We haven't finished it yet. But you thought it would be about us defeating the Edison Group._

I smiled, feeling something surge inside me, overwhelming my brain. "Chloe? Did you already talk to Derek?"

_No. He can't know I'm talking to you, understand?_

"Why not?" This might sound selfish, but I felt good knowing that she came to _me. _She visited me, not Derek, not Tori, not her Aunt Lauren. Me.

_I'll explain everything._

And she did.

_Chloe_

Liz wrote everything I said down. I told him what we saw, what we heard. He looked like he was about to cry.

"So, let me get this straight, there are people from the Edison Group after us, and the leader is Derek's mom, and Derek killed his dad who ran the Edison Group, who killed you in our fight against the Edison Group, whose survivors want to terminate us?"

Liz knew what to write without me telling her. _Yep, pretty much._

"Wow," He sighed. "I guess the last chapter's going to be longer then we thought."

I told Liz what to write, and she nodded seriously. _This is serious, Simon. You guys are in real trouble. You need to tell the others._

"Why me? Why didn't you go to someone else?"

I told Liz what to write, one word at a time. _Aunt Lauren would be bombarding me with questions, never letting me say anything. I love your dad, but I thought it might be weird to tell him about Mr. St. Cloud. Tori's my best friend, but she's not a leader. I would've gone to Derek, but . . ._

"Yeah, I still don't get that."

_Forget it. Just tell them you know. You can tell Tori and Aunt Lauren and maybe Kit, if he promises not to tell Derek._

Simon nodded. "Okay,"

_If you do tell Derek anything, tell him Liz helped you, not Chloe. And don't tell him about his mom or dad._

"Okay,"

We just sat there. I was getting antsy. _Now. _Liz wrote.

"Oh, right," He stood up. "Derek's still not in."

_Liz and I will make him come. Don't start without us._

He smiled, his eyes crinkling in the corners. "Wouldn't dream of it,"

Liz placed the sketch pad on the dresser, and we started for the door. Liz opened it, which surprised me. Liz and I could've just walked right through, but she wanted Simon to know we were leaving.

"One more thing," He called.

I turned to face him.

"I missed you,"

I wanted to tell him I missed him. I wanted to tell him I missed talking with him, missed watching him draw, and missed him making me laugh. I missed him gagging when he was Derek and me, I missed the way things were just _better_ when he was around, like the brother I hadn't realized I wanted.

The door slammed closed behind me.

_Derek_

When we were at the funereal, I felt her presence. I don't know how to describe it. One second she was there, I could just tell. Then the next, nothing.

I walked down the street, snow slowly drifting from the sky. Chloe died on December 3rd, so it must've been the tenth. It was going to be the second Christmas we'd spent together. Funny how things don't work out how you planned.

The ache in my whole body flared, and I hated myself for thinking about her. But I knew that if I ever _didn't _think about her, I'd hate myself more. I laughed bitterly. What was happening to me?

I wished she was here. I knew what she's say. _"Derek, stop beating yourself up. None of it was your fault." _

She would lie to make me feel better. That's what she does.

The snow was falling harder, sticking to the pavement it touched. I really should eat something, and as if to prove my point, my stomach growled. But I just couldn't bring myself to do it for the past week, aside from a few bites.

I walked into a convenient store, the bell dinging above my head. Whoever it was looked at me, his eyes widening. I didn't care.

I walked over to one of the shelves and grabbed a Slim Jim, a bag of Cheetos, and a Mountain Dew. The guy behind the counter was watching me carefully, making sure I didn't steal anything.

I put my items on the counter and threw down some money, just taking it after he wrung them up. I walked into the cold, my shoes crunching the snow.

I took out my Slim Jim, and accidentally dropped it on the ground. I bent to pick it up, and could just make out some words in the snow.

_Go back to the hotel._

I blinked once, and then looked up. No one was there, or had been here for a while. I could smell someone, but it wasn't obvious. Whoever had been here was here about an hour ago. This note was new.

"Chloe?" I whispered, taking a step forward and crunching the message under my sole. I cursed. What if that's the very last thing I'd ever get from her? A message began to form in the snow again.

_No, it's Liz. Get back to the hotel._

Disappointment coursed through my veins. I started walking in the opposite direction of the hotel, when I saw a third note writing itself in the whiteness.

_We have some news about the Edison Group, and why they killed Chloe._

I turned around and walked back to the hotel.


End file.
